UK surname
A surname derived from a pet form of the masculine given name Nicholas.
In the 1881 census there were 163 people recorded with the Colly surname, ranking it #14,689 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 24, ranked #36,392, down from #14,689 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Wootton Rivers, Wakefield and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Colly is 306 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 85.3%.
1881 census count
163
Ranked #14,689
Modern count
24
2016, ranked #36,392
Peak year
1851
306 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Colly surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Colly surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 306 | #7,524 |
| 1861 | historical | 291 | #8,653 |
| 1881 | historical | 163 | #14,689 |
| 1891 | historical | 220 | #13,937 |
| 1901 | historical | 174 | #16,520 |
| 1911 | historical | 104 | #22,209 |
| 1997 | modern | 14 | #36,528 |
| 1998 | modern | 12 | #36,790 |
| 1999 | modern | 13 | #36,693 |
| 2000 | modern | 12 | #36,749 |
| 2001 | modern | 10 | #36,852 |
| 2002 | modern | 9 | #37,051 |
| 2003 | modern | 4 | #37,951 |
| 2004 | modern | 3 | #38,241 |
| 2005 | modern | 10 | #37,180 |
| 2006 | modern | 12 | #37,014 |
| 2007 | modern | 13 | #36,990 |
| 2008 | modern | 15 | #36,843 |
| 2009 | modern | 15 | #36,942 |
| 2010 | modern | 18 | #36,774 |
| 2011 | modern | 18 | #36,739 |
| 2012 | modern | 16 | #36,897 |
| 2013 | modern | 19 | #36,691 |
| 2014 | modern | 22 | #36,496 |
| 2015 | modern | 22 | #36,493 |
| 2016 | modern | 24 | #36,392 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Wootton Rivers, Wakefield, Glasgow, Brackley St James and St Peter, Whitfield, Syresham and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wootton Rivers | Wiltshire |
| 2 | Wakefield | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 3 | Glasgow | Lanark |
| 4 | Brackley St James and St Peter, Whitfield, Syresham | Northamptonshire |
| 5 | London parishes | London 2 |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Colly surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Colly, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Colly surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Colly household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Colly is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Colly is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Colly, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Colly is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, specifically in the county of Yorkshire. It is derived from the Old English word "col," which means "soot" or "charcoal." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who worked with coal or charcoal, such as a blacksmith or a collier (a coal miner).
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Colly can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls, a census-like record from the late 13th century. This document mentions a John Colly residing in Yorkshire during that time. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire from the early 14th century list several individuals with the surname Colly, indicating that the name was well-established in the region.
The name Colly also appears in various historical records from other parts of England, such as the Pipe Rolls of Wiltshire, which mention a William Colly in the early 13th century. Furthermore, the Hearth Tax Rolls for Staffordshire from the late 17th century include several entries for households with the surname Colly, suggesting the name's spread across different regions.
Notable individuals with the surname Colly throughout history include:
1. John Colly (c. 1337 - 1401), an English landowner and member of the gentry from Yorkshire. 2. Thomas Colly (c. 1510 - 1580), a merchant and alderman in the city of York. 3. Elizabeth Colly (c. 1625 - 1692), a renowned herbalist and healer from Wiltshire. 4. Samuel Colly (1688 - 1751), a prominent clockmaker and inventor from London. 5. William Colly (1718 - 1793), a British naval officer who served during the Seven Years' War.
It is worth noting that the surname Colly has undergone various spelling variations over time, such as Collie, Colley, and Coley. These variations often reflect regional dialects and variations in pronunciation. Additionally, some place names in England, such as Colley Gate in Yorkshire and Colley Hill in Wiltshire, may have derived their names from individuals with the surname Colly who resided in those areas.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Colly surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 32 Collys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.07x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 32 | 2.07x |
| Staffordshire | 19 | 3.61x |
| Middlesex | 18 | 1.15x |
| Worcestershire | 15 | 7.36x |
| Lincolnshire | 11 | 4.41x |
| Lancashire | 9 | 0.49x |
| Pembrokeshire | 8 | 16.13x |
| Montgomeryshire | 5 | 13.98x |
| Norfolk | 5 | 2.08x |
| Cheshire | 4 | 1.16x |
| Northamptonshire | 4 | 2.73x |
| Nottinghamshire | 4 | 1.90x |
| Hampshire | 3 | 0.94x |
| Hertfordshire | 3 | 2.79x |
| Somerset | 3 | 1.19x |
| Surrey | 3 | 0.39x |
| Cumberland | 2 | 1.49x |
| Northumberland | 2 | 0.86x |
| Shropshire | 2 | 1.48x |
| Angus | 1 | 0.69x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 0.85x |
| Devon | 1 | 0.31x |
| Durham | 1 | 0.22x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.32x |
| Herefordshire | 1 | 1.56x |
| Monmouthshire | 1 | 0.89x |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 0.25x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Butterwick With in Lincolnshire leads with 11 Collys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2820.51x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Colly surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 14 |
| Sarah | 8 |
| Elizabeth | 7 |
| Ann | 4 |
| Charlotte | 3 |
| Eliza | 3 |
| Ellen | 3 |
| Emily | 3 |
| Annie | 2 |
| Frances | 2 |
| Hannah | 2 |
| Lucy | 2 |
| Martha | 2 |
| Alice | 1 |
| Amelia | 1 |
| Bertha | 1 |
| Bridget | 1 |
| Caroline | 1 |
| Eleanor | 1 |
| Elizth. | 1 |
| Emma | 1 |
| Fanny | 1 |
| Harriott | 1 |
| Hester | 1 |
| Jane | 1 |
| Kate | 1 |
| Margaret | 1 |
| Maria | 1 |
| Matthew | 1 |
| Millenda | 1 |
| Nelly | 1 |
| Rachel | 1 |
| Rose | 1 |
| Rosemer | 1 |
| Ruth | 1 |
| Selina | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Colly surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| John | 11 |
| George | 8 |
| Thomas | 8 |
| William | 7 |
| Alfred | 4 |
| Joseph | 4 |
| Benjamin | 3 |
| Charles | 3 |
| Henry | 3 |
| Albert | 2 |
| Andrew | 2 |
| Ernest | 2 |
| James | 2 |
| Richard | 2 |
| Abert | 1 |
| Arthur | 1 |
| Edmund | 1 |
| Edward | 1 |
| Ephraim | 1 |
| Francis | 1 |
| Frederick | 1 |
| Harry | 1 |
| Herbert | 1 |
| Leonard | 1 |
| Michael | 1 |
| Peter | 1 |
| Phillip | 1 |
| Samuel | 1 |
| Thos. | 1 |
| W. | 1 |
| Walter | 1 |
| Willm. | 1 |
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Colly households.
FAQ
In 1881, 163 people were recorded with the Colly surname. That placed it at #14,689 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 24 in 2016. That gives Colly a modern rank of #36,392.
A surname derived from a pet form of the masculine given name Nicholas.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Colly bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.